Twelve ways to Scream
by 3 Phantoms
Summary: Kefka has a very bad day and decides that he needs to unwind...


**Warning**** This story is graphic... descretion is advised.**

**One bad day**

Kefka was quiet. Those around him considered this a blessing, and a curse. It was a blessing because no one had to listen to him talk, but at the same time he was only ever quiet when something wasn't going his way; and as everyone knew, when he was quiet he would lash out at the first person to cross his path, snapping at the slightest irritation. It was the calm before the storm…

The mad general wasn't smiling for once; his latest project, Terra, had disobeyed his orders _again, _and if he didn't turn her into the weapon that the emperor wanted there was a chance she'd be given to Leo. Kefka shuddered, twiddling his fingers spasmodically, that dingle-dork would ruin her! Whatever happened, he could let Leo blow his golden opportunity. _Only prob. Is… _He thought ghosting down one of Vector's steel corridors. _She won't cooperate! It's not like I'm asking much, just kill someone. I mean for crying out loud they're even defenseless; it doesn't get much better than that!_

Slumping against the corner of a staircase he folded his arms, and tapped his boot to an invisible beat._ I'm stressing out over this, I gotta unwind._ He decided. Raising one hand he mimed talking.

"Hey up there!" Said the hand, "Is it too much to ask for a little help? I've had a bad day!"

-8-

Jessie was in a very foul mood. This was more or less her general state of existence, but today she was especially short-tempered. This was because her brother, Teal, had gotten himself assigned to helping Kefka train the new recruits. Everyone knew what Kefka's training was like; he was more apt to fry the recruits than train them, and Teal would be caught in the crossfire. Her worry for him had led to her burning Major Celes's dinner, among other mishaps like spilling trays and getting into fights with other maids. The result of all this was that she was now being sent to clean toilets two flights down, and she still didn't know about Teal. Grumbling the brunette grabbed a few rags and a bottle of cleaning solution from a nearby closet, and began to descend the first set of stairs she found. It didn't matter which one she picked, most led two flights down at least. Then she dropped the bottle…

It didn't fall far, fortunately, but it only increased her frustration. Bending over to pick up the fallen bottle, Jessie decided that today was just a bad day.

Looking back she would see this as when a bad day became much worse… For when the young maid leaned over, her foot slipped. Jessie had one moment of realization before she tumbled head over heels, for the span of a few seconds the only thing she was aware of was that she was falling, and then it suddenly stopped when she landed on something relatively soft that gave an '_oomph!'_

Biting back a yelp of pain Jessie opened her eyes, and suppressed a gasp. _She'd landed on Kefka!_ The general stared at her for a moment before yelling to the ceiling a quick 'Thanks!' Jessie quickly scampered off of him. She knew what Kefka was like: crazier than the court jester he dressed like. Curtsying as low as she could, she watched warily as he picked himself up. "My sincerest apologies my Lord. It was my mistake, I fell and…" She trailed off noticing that Kefka wasn't listening he was staring past her as though she were invisible,which was fine as far as Jessie was concerned. After a full minute of silence she began to gather up her fallen rags, even after she moved Kefka continued to stare at the spot where she'd been unblinking.

_He's creepy… _She thought curtsying again. "Forgive me my Lord, but I'm needed elsewhere… May I go?"

At the word _go_ Kefka's head snapped in her direction. "Go?" He asked, blue eyes zeroing in on her. Jessie nodded feebly. "No… No, no, NO!" Kefka yelled jumping up and down. "No, not until you pick a number!" At her confused expression he began ranting, "All I ask is for a number, that's _all, _but you have to be all- _oh what's going on? I'm too confused to think straight- _It's a simple order; Pick a number, any number but-!"

"Twelve!" She blurted. Kefka stopped his tirade and blinked several times.

"Twelve?" He asked, "Twelve what girl?"

"Um… You asked me to pick a number… I picked twelve…"

Kefka scratched his head uncertainly before his memory kicked in. "Oh! That's right, I did, didn't I?" Jessie nodded, slowly backing away.

"If I may go my Lor-" She never finished the sentence, for at that instant Kefka interrupted her with one short burst of ice. Jessie was out before she hit the ground.

Kefka lowered his hand and inspected his latest catch. She was a cute brunette who was just entering the full bloom of womanhood. "Perfect! She's just what I needed to cheer me up!"

-8-

The first thing Jessie noticed when she began to come to was that she was cold, and had a severe headache. The second thing was that her arms and legs were immobile. _Now what? _She thought opening her eyes, she was in a stone chamber, or more appropriately she was chained to the wall of said chamber. In one corner was a large organ, and standing in the center of the room, smiling up at her was Kefka.

"Welcome back to the land of the condemned!" He said cheerfully. "Now we can begin!"

Jessie squirmed, her shackles were painfully tight. "Condemned? What- where are we?" She asked clearing the fog from her mind.

"We're in one of Vector's older rooms." Kefka explained. "I took this room and… _remodeled _it." For some reason Jessie didn't have a very good feeling about the way he said that. "And why am I here? What are you going to do to me?" Then a worse thought struck her, "What about my brother? What about Teal?"

Kefka blinked once and shrugged his shoulders, "Teal? Don't know a guy by that name, sorry." Jessie hung her head. "As for what I'll do to you…" Kefka said, dancing a little jig. "A little this, a little that… Mostly this!" Jessie screamed as a small dagger pierced her shoulder.

"Oh YES!" Kefka cried, "One!" A moment later he ripped the dagger out and healed the wound with a burst of magic. "Twelve is your lucky number. I bet I can come up with twelve methods of torture that will make you _scream_." So saying he rammed the blade into her other shoulder. Jessie screamed again as he dragged the dagger through her arm, severing the muscles. Over her own screams she was aware that someone had begun to play the organ. A haunting song set the tone for her tormenter, as Kefka timed his thrusts to the beat of the music, laughing every time she cried out.

Jessie screamed again and again as the music played on, she lost count of how many times Kefka stabbed her only to heal the wound a second later. Finally, after what seemed like forever the piercing blade stopped mutilating her. As Kefka healed her legs he checked the dagger. "Getting dull." He explained, tossing it aside. Jessie sighed with relief but it was immediately taken back as the music started again, and Kefka grabbed her right breast.

Jessie screamed again; the hand he used felt like it was on fire. "Two!" The general laughed, grabbing her leg.

Jessie continued to struggle against her chains, even after Kefka unshackled her wrists and burned them one at a time. He was careful to heal most of her wounds quickly, but the pain lingered even after the scars vanished.

"Stop it! Stop it please!" She begged. Much to her surprise he did stop... for about five seconds.

"Three!" Kefka called as four bricks from the opposite wall suddenly shot forward and slammed into her stomach. Jessie wished that whoever was playing that blasted song would stop; it only seemed to drive him crazier…

"Four!" He smiled as the chains tightened around her burned and bloody wrists and ankles, cutting off the blood flow. Jessie didn't struggle; she no longer had the energy. All she could do was scream and pray that Kefka would grow bored soon._ Not likely… _She thought, dismally watching his mad dance around the room.

Jessie squirmed as she felt something cold and slimy running down her back. A moment later it began to bubble, and burn. "Five!" Kefka called over her tortured cries, "I love acid!"

Six was similar to three only this time blocks from the ceiling came down and slammed onto her shoulders while her chains pulled up.

"Halfway there!" Kefka giggled, and then called a hush to the music. Edging slowly closer to her he reached out and tapped her once on the head. The general recoiled instantly as though she were a snake that might bite at any moment. When gently slapping her got no response he pressed one ear to her chest. "Fainted." He muttered straightening with a yawn. "How long have we been here?"

The trooper who was playing the organ stood and stretched his cramped legs. "Hours my Lord…"

"Alright," Kefka yawned again, "That's enough I guess. The remaining six will give me something to look forward to tomorrow."

"Help me…" Jessie gasped as Kefka slammed the door behind him. "Please help me…" She was aware, albeit barely, of the soldier watching her now, "Help me please…" A moment passed, and then suddenly a wet rag was gently placed in her mouth.

"Drink." The trooper commanded softly. Jessie did as she was bid, grateful for the cool water to soothe her burning throat. "It's all I can do for you now, otherwise I'll be next… I'm sorry."

The chains rattled audibly in the silence that followed. Unaware if he was still there Jessie uttered one last sentence before exhaustion and trauma claimed her.

"I wish I was dead…"

-8-

_Silence is nice…_ Thought the young brunette. Silence had filled the room ever since she passed out yesterday, or maybe it was still today, she wasn't sure. All she was sure of was that the silence was nice; it was calm, painless, and she didn't have to hear that thrice damned song. Yes, silence was nice, silence was peaceful, silence was kind… silence held no Kefka.

What felt like an hour later, her silence was interrupted by the sound of the chamber door opening. For a moment Jessie felt a sense dread, but it vanished when she saw that it was just the organ player with two muffins in his hand.

"I thought you might like some breakfast." He said forcing a smile. Blinking in confusion she nodded, her wrists were bound above her head so he was forced to feed her. In between bites of Blueberry muffin she observed him; he was an older man with graying hair, and lined features. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere else than here.

"Thank you." She said when she'd finished the last muffin. She opened her mouth to say something but he held up a hand for quiet.

"Let me explain something before you ask for help: Those shackles and the door are locked with magic; if you don't have the key, a word will do the trick. I do not know the word, and Kefka has the only key."

Jessie hung her head, "So the only way I'm getting out of here is in a pinewood box…" She muttered hopelessly.

"Not necessarily."

Jessie looked up sharply to see the old soldier rolling away the organ. On the wall behind it she could see that the wall had several deep notches carved into the stone. However she also counted four or five gold coins taped to the wall, all of them spaced far apart. Gesturing to the wall the soldier explained, "You're not the first person to be brought down here miss. I've marked every person who's been on that wall." Jessie stared at the wall wide-eyed; how many people had been shackled here like her? Kefka had passed the hundred mark years ago, that left thousands… _thousands!_

"I won't lie…" The old man said, "I've played a requiem for most of these people. But I've also noticed something…" Reaching out he tapped one of the coins taped to the wall, "Every hundred people or so, Kefka lets one poor soul go… provided they survive him in the first place. As you can see, it's been quite a while since he released someone…"

_Could it be true? Could I really have a way out? _The thought was immediately overshadowed by fear, even if he did let her go she still had to endure another night of torture…

-8-

Kefka's theme song, as she'd grown to call it, refused to go away, ringing loudly in her ears; once in awhile Jessie caught herself humming parts of the tune. It was proof, she decided, that she was going mad after a single day in here. Still the thought that she may get out alive kept her going, help her retain a little of her sanity… that and the blessed silence…

-8-

Lunch, provided by the organ player, was a sandwich, two oranges, and a glass of milk. As she downed the last of the milk, a thought occurred to her. "Do you think…? I have any chance of getting out of here?"

Sighing once, the old man nodded. "I wouldn't have shown you that wall if I didn't think you did. I only show it when I think Kefka's close to letting someone go."

"Why hasn't anyone stopped him? Surely the people he releases…" She trailed off as he was already shaking his head. Reaching into a small pocket in his armor, he produced a tiny hand mirror.

"Everyone asks that, here's the answer." He said holding up the mirror.

Jessie gasped in understanding; her eyes looked sunken and desperate, as if… as if she were an animal caught in a hunter's trap. "No one would believe me… The Empire is a symbol of power and security for most people here. No one would believe this… they'd think I was mad."

"That's right." He said sadly, "I give a little money to those who escape; helps me sleep at night. My advice: Take a ship up north, someplace where Kefka can't reach you like Narche or maybe South Figaro. Stay there, marry a nice man, raise big fat babies, live a good long life, and try to forget that this ever happened."

-8-

The third time the door opened Jessie felt her blood freeze as Kefka hopped into the room, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Hi honey! I'm _baaack!"_ Moving to stand in front of her he bounced up and down, "Guess what! Guess what! Guess what!"

"What Kefka?" She spat heavy on contempt.

"I think I may have found your little brother! You said his name was Teal right?" Jessie straightened up attentively. "Is Teal a scrawny brat about yea high? With brown eyes like yours? He helped me with the recruits yesterday?"

Jessie slowly nodded, "Yeah, where is he?"

Kefka looked sheepish. "Weeell… One half was blown up by Terra, with some help, the other half was buried."

Jessie slumped, defeated, she was dimly aware of Kefka snickering, and then his smiling face entered her vision. It was that smile that did it. She screamed and began straining against her bonds, ignoring the pain that tore through her wrists in her attempt to reach him. "You sick, murdering demented, freak-!" Kefka slapped her hard across the face, halting her tirade.

"No, no, none of that." He chided, wagging his finger at her as though she were a naughty child, "I suppose that little outburst counts as one… We still have five more screams to go! Maestro?"

The music began again, and Kefka produced a wicked looking serrated knife. Holding one arm steady he placed the blade against her skin and dragged hard.

_I won't scream… I won't! _Jessie thought as he set the blade against her again. Unfortunately being skinned alive tore her will down very quickly, and it wasn't long before Kefka yelled, "Eight!"

The music picked up, and Jessie screamed as a sharp spike erupted from the wall behind her hands. "Nine!" Kefka called as the spike began to try and open while still inside of her hands.

"Ten!" was her chains suddenly sending bolts of lightning through her already burned wrists. Through it all Kefka continued to laugh, dancing in time with the music as he shocked her again and again.

Then as the music stopped and restarted, he placed one hand on her stomach. Jessie immediately began to feel cold… Looking down she saw why, her skin was slowly freezing. _What's he-? _The thought was instantly cut off by cries of pain as her body froze, and then burned an instant later. "There's eleven!"

Jessie screamed as she was froze, burned, and healed five more times. Then suddenly Kefka stopped. "You can go." Jessie looked up to see that he was motioning to the old organ player. Warily the old man stood and headed for the door. When the last echoes of the door's closing faded Kefka pointed at her shackles and snapped, "Sarsaparilla!"

Jessie hit the ground moaning as her chains released her. Looking up she saw that Kefka was unbuttoning his shirt, "We need a little privacy for the last one…"

-8-

Outside the chamber the old man waited. He had a very bad feeling about what Kefka would do to that young woman, whatever it was he knew it wouldn't be pretty. His suspicions were confirmed a second later when she began screaming with renewed vigor. Strangely her cries were cut short. Two minutes later Kefka emerged looking breathless. "Ok," he smirked, "Ya can go in now."

Against his better judgment he waited till Kefka disappeared, and then opened the door slightly and stuck his head in.

He immediately pulled off his helmet and vomited. Another notch for the wall…

-8-

**I think I have a few unresolved issues because I enjoyed this... Anyway tell me what ya think! :)**


End file.
